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' (No Model.)

' J-T. RYAN.

LIFE GUARD FOR STREET GARS.

N0.`52,8l3. Patented Oct. 23, 1894.

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NiTsD STATES JOHN F. RYAN, OF

VPATENT Trios.

TORONTO, OANADA.

LIFE-GUARD FOR STREETCARS.-

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 527,813, dated October 23, 1894. Appiimion sied Beamter 9,1893. sentira. 493,263. ,da model.)

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JOHN F. RYAN, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Toronto, in the county of York, lProvince of Ontario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life-Guards for Street-Cars, of which the following is specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved life guard for street cars, that is efficient in operation and -may be easily ad.

justed into and out of working position.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention, Figure'l is a` perspective view of so much of the platform of a street car with my improvements attached as is necessary to illustrate the novel features of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a part of a Streetcar with my improved life guard attached.

To the platform A, are secured on opposite sides depending brackets or hangers B, to which are pivoted the upper ends of curved side bars C, of the life guard frame. These side bars are connected by cross rods c at various points and at their outer ends by a rod c', on which are mounted a series of rollers C', which may be covered on their outside with leather, rubber or similar materia-l. f Near their lower, outer ends, the side bars C, carry rollers D, adapted to run on the rails E.

Springs F, secured to the brackets B, bear upon the side bars C, and tend to depress the guard frame and when depressedhold the rollers on the rails E. A suitable covering Gr, such as wire netting or the like, may be placed over the connecting rods c, between the side bars C, of the frame.

Near the upper or inner end of the guard frameI employ a supplemental vertical frame H, hinged at h to the side bars C.' The frame is composed of rods h hinged at h, as above described, and connected at their upper ends by a cross bar h2. This frame is also provided with wire or other netting H', between the side and top bars.

In order to raise, lower and lock the life guard, I employ aliand lever I, and a foot lever J. The hand lever I, is pivoted to a bracket fi, on the dash board K. Aspring fi', secured to the bracket andinterposed between the dash board and the hand lever holds the latter in position to engage with the foot lever J, as indicated in Fig. 2. A stop 2 limits the inward movementof the upper end of the hand lever. The foot lever or pedal J, is pivoted or hinged at j, to the platform L, its front end j being adapted to be engaged by the lower end of the hand lever I.

To the outer end of the foot lever is pivoted Aat m, a depending link M, which is pivoted toa lever N, fulcrumed at ra, in a hanger or bracket Op. The leverNis slotted at n where it connects with the link M. The lever N, is extendedrearwardly over the life guard and connects by iiexible connections or rings P with the top rod h2 of the frame H. About midway between its ends, the lever N, is secured to a rod Q, which connects it with the front end of another lever N', which is iexibly connected at P to the opposite end of the top rod h2. The rod Q, is supported in brackets O, at opposite sides of the car.

When the life guard is elevated above the track, the different parts of the mechanism are in the position shown in the drawings, the hand lever I, engaging at its lower end with the foot lever J, but when the hand lever I is turned to release it from the foot lever J, the latter rises, as the life guard descends and rests upon the track. The life guard descends either by reason of its own weight, or by means of the springs F. I [ind it advisable to employ the springs F to assist in causing the guard to descend, and also, especially, to hold the guard on the track while the car is moving.

By these improvements, obstructions of all kinds are removed from the track, and either caught in the netting and held, or defiected to one side. The arrangement is such that persons overtaken on the track and disabled,

extending backwardly and connected to the life-guard frame in front of its pivotal connection with the platform, and a hand lever for operating the pedal when it is depressed.

2. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the platform, the hangers or brackets secured to the under side thereof, the side bars of the life guard frame pivotally connected with the hangers, rollers carried by the side bars and adapted to ride on the rails of the track, a covering for the frame, the vertical frame hinged near the rear or inner ends of the side bars, a pedal, a lever connected at its front end with the pedal and at its rear end with the vertical frame, and a hand lever for locking the pedal.

3. The combination, substantially as hereinbefore set forth, of the platform, the life guard frame pivotally connected therewith, rollers carried by the frame, springs bearing JOI-IN F. RYAN.

Witnesses:

J. W. RYAN, A. E. BAKER. 

